If you are planting flower how are you saving money? Have you looked around for the best plants at the best price?

I found the best prices at Lowe's. For our new flower garden out front (we pulled out bushes, added a retaining wall, and a homemade fountain) we planted perinneals (spelling) and hopefully they come back next year.

I am a flower addict- that is what makes me the happiest this time of year! For the most part- I love Lowe's for flowers, a lot of the time at lowe's they will discount flowers that basically need some TLC- for the most part they will come back- but it is really nice when you get preninnals- since they do come back next year! One of my favorite things to do is after Easter when they sell the dying hyacinths and Easter lillies (the ones in a pot)- plant them even though they are dying and next spring you have great smelling hyancinths and in summer pretty lillies (you can get them for really cheap and eventually the hyacinths will make "babies").

When I don't have a whole lot of money and want some type of pretty flower- I go for petunias- although they are not my favorite (I am a lily addict), they are a reasonable price (at our Lowe's $1.88 for a 6 pack), last throughout summer and fall (pick off the "dead heads") and if you do a miracle grow thing to them on occasion they will take over the flower bed and just look really good.

I love flowers! I have been doing a lot to get plants cheap since we just moved into a house in November (there weren't any flowers or plants at all!!)

I've been asking everyone I know if they have any that I can have. My Aunt gave me 3 Rose of Sharon starts, my friend gave me a lot of lambs ear, my Grandma gave me a Clamatis (sp?), some dafodil & tulip blubs and a lot of Iris's. I did find 1 hosta at the house under some multch & I split it up and spread it out.

This is my favorite way to get new plants. To dig up part of what you have and trade! I would love to get some mums from someone!!

I wish I could find a group of people who would like to get together and trade/split plants together....

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I buy from the farmer's market and shop around there for the best vendor deal. I also barter - for example, there was a plant my sisters and I all liked, but they were $8 each. We bought 12 of them and brought down the price to $6 apiece, then divided them up between the 3 of us.
I also pace myself - no need to buy them all at once. Buy a hanging basket one week. Plants for pots another week. A flat of flowers another week.
I also get free plants from my sisters/friends when people need to thin out their gardens. Make friends w/ neighbors who have lovely yards and you can get all sorts of free plants when they need to thin things out, and you might be able to get rid of some of yours when you need to thin them out as well.

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I love this idea! This is exactly what I was talking about! I wish my neighbors were more open to this! (Or friendly in general! )

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One neighbor of mine gave me about 15 jack in the pulpit plants to give to my sister in law. I saw them at the farm market this weekend for $20 each. This neighbor still has more she'd like to get rid of but I have several. You'd be surprised how open a neighbor can be if you're out for a walk and you see them outside and you stop and strike up a conversation by telling them how beautiful their yard is, how evident it is that they spend a lot of time on it, etc.

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I love Lowes, around here they have the best quality and prices. I have built up my perennials in the ground over the years, so now I just maintain them and I only buy annuals for pots. That cuts down on how much I spend.
I also have received cuttings from my Mom and friends in the past. I have a huge rose geranium that came from a small cutting. Those free plants that work out are the best!

i buy mine at a garden center in my area they don't have the best prices but they are quality plants and you get all the free fertilizer you want just bring in your milk jugs anytime. i also buy from our school ffa's greenhouse they are nice plants and you can't beat the prices anywhere.

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'The will of God will never take you where the
Grace of God will not protect you.'

HAVE A BOOTIFUL HALLOWEEN

Many years ago, I decided I was sick and tired of weeding this embankment out by my front road. I decided to get rid of the weeds and plant perennials. It took me a good three years to elliminate the weeds and briers - sp?. I have a friend who is a master gardener and she gave me a ton of herbs, perennials, and sedums for my bank. Woo Hoo - this is now my favorite part of my yard. I reward myself with 1 or 2 nursery-store perennials every spring but mostly try to find starts of plants I don't have from friends or sick ones at Walmart that are 50% off. I do fill in with a couple annuals. Our master gardeners in our county have a yearly sale of plants from their gardens. These are really cheap and great finds. I usually buy several from them every year. I love my flowers.

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A Proud Military Mom

I love flowers! We have 3 Nursery's within a 15 min. drive and a Loews and Home Depot. The nursery's always have coupon in our local papers. I've gotten different things from all of them. I love annuals, even though they don't last they are cheap, bright and pretty. I also have Tulips and Lily bulbs planted that just get prettier every year. When we move and have a bigger yard I'm going to start a Rose Garden, I love roses but haven't planted any here b/c I know we'll leave this house soon so I'm going to wait.

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A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.-Eleanor Roosevelt